• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.181-187
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• 2004

Polyvoltine silkworm breeds/hybrids play an important role in tropical sericulture. In the process of synthesizing more potential polyvoltine hybrids(polyvoltine${\times}$bivoltine) of superior quantity and quality, the Andhra Pradesh State Sericulture Research and Development Institute (APSSRDI) has developed 8 promising polyvoltine breeding lines (SDMG2, APM16, APM15, APM14, APM5, RM2, APM3, APM13). In order to study their hybrid vigour and performance, these breeds were crossed with 4 potential bivoltine testers (SDD1, SDD2, SDD3, APS8), and 32 different hybrid combinations were prepared and evaluated for their mid parent heterosis (MPH) and better parent heterosis (BPH) of silk productivity. Since silk is the ultimate product required for commercial purpose, based on silk productivity and its heterosis, three superior polyvoltine hybrid combinations namely RM2${\times}$APS8 (24.3%), APM3${\times}$APS8 (12.4%) and APM15${\times}$SDD2 (10.8%) were adjudicated as potential heterotic hybrid combinations of superior silk yield and hence recommended for further large scale field trails and commercial exploitation.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.131-141
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• 2013

At the interface of reducing agricultural income and increasing unemployment in agrarian economy of rural India, this article summarizes and evaluates the state of mulberry sericulture in northwest India, which includes Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. In $11^{th}$ plan period (2007-2012), there was an addition of 6 196 ha (217.09 %) of mulberry acreage at annual linier growth rate of 33.44%. However, total silk production could increase only by 54.64 MT (78.57%) at annual linier growth rate of 15.59 %, due to 43.93% (10.82 kg/ha) reduction in silk productivity at negative growth rate of -13.46%, annually. And now, average raw silk productivity in north-western states of India remains at 13.81 kg/ha, which is lower by 452.93 % (76.36 kg) in comparison to the national average of 100.90 kg/ha. Paper summaries the reasons for increasing cocoon yield gap at farmer's level and discuss the ways and means to increase raw silk productivity to improve the livelihood delivery of mulberry sericulture in northwest India.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2004

Studies on heterotic expression in the silk productivity of 66 thermo-tolerant bivoltine hybrids reared under high temperature $(36{\times}1^{\circ}C)$ and low humidity (60${\times}$5%) conditions revealed that manifestation of heterosis was highly significant for majority of the quantitative traits contributing to more cocoon productivity. Observations were made on 8 economically important traits such as fecundity, pupation rate, cocoon yield, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio, cocoon filament length and raw silk. Analysis of variance results revealed great deal of variability indicating significant (P < 0.001) variations. Out of 66 hybrids, 7 hybrids exhibited positive heterosis for seven traits and 4 hybrids expressed significant hetero-beltiosis for 6 traits, out of 8 traits evaluated. Based on results, the hybrids ${SR_1} {\times} {SR_5}and {CSR_2} {\times} {SR_5}$ are adjudged as most promising ones and can be exploited commercially in tropical climates to increase the cocoon productivity.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.26-45
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• 1980

Silk protein is synthesized in the silkgland of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. It is evident that silk productivity is one of the high heritable characters from the genetical aspects. It is also changed with the environmental circumstances. With this regard, this paper dealt with the varietal patterns of silkgland development and the factors concerning to the silk productivity of silkgland of silkworm by the synthesis of nucleic acids, profiles of amino acids and histological basis, using the eight parent silkworm varieties and their F$_1$ hybrids. 1. The weight of silkgland per larva increased proportionally in the F$_1$ hybrids which were crossed between longer silk yielding varieties. The silk content to the weight of the silkgland was higher in the longer silk yielding varieties than that in the shorter silk yielding varieties. 2. It was observed that the morphological changes of nuclei took place in the posterior silkgland cells with the larval development of the 5th instar. In varietal aspect, Jam 107 and Jam 108, longer silk yielding varieties, showed more branches in nuclei than the $N_2$ and $C_{60}$ which were shorter yielding ones. 3. It was observed that there was a high correlation between RNA content per unit weight of silkgland on the 6th day stage of 5th instar and silk productivity both in the parents and their F$_1$ hybrids. 4. RNA and DNA synthesis brought about thirty percent increase in the posterior silkgland of the longer silk yielding varieties during the 2nd day to the 4th day stages of the 5th instar, when compared with those in the posterior silkgland of the shorter silk yielding varieties. 5. RNA/DNA ratio in the posterior silkgland on the 2nd day and 4th day stages of the 5th instar was more increased in the longer silk yielding varieties than the shorter silk yielding varieties. 6. It was shown that DNA content for the longer silk yielding varieties came to be 374$\mu\textrm{g}$ per larva in the posterior division of silkgland on the 4th day stage of 5th instar, whereas it was 199$\mu\textrm{g}$ per larva for the shorter silk yielding varieties. 7 There was 34.8％ Alanine, 22.8％ Glycine, 9.1％ Serine and 7.3％ Tyrosine in the posterior division of silkgland as major amino acids. It is noticed that there was a little differences between the amino acids composition of posterior silkgland and silk fibroin. 8. There was some differences in the amino acids composition of posterior silkgland between pure lines and their hybrids. Glycine, Serine and acidic amino acids, essential to silk formation, seemed to be increased in the F$_1$ hybrids, whereas other amino acids such as Valine, Iso-leucine, Leucine, Lysine. Phenylalanine, Histidine and Arginine were reduced. 9. The content of Glycine, Alanine and Serine in the posterior division of silkgland was elevated in the longer silk yielding varieties than the others. Consequently. these three amino acids in the posterior silkgland seemed to be related to the silk yielding ability in the longer silk yielding varieties.s.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2000

Strengthening of R & D components of sericulture in India since the sixties has led to a quantum jump in silk production and presently India is the second largest producer in the world. This achievement is primarily due to a number of breakthroughs in R & D to match the requirements of tropics, by way of introduction of improved mulberry varieties and silkworm breeds, better mulberry cultivation and rearing management practices suited to tropical conditions. Of late, new approaches in molecular biology and biotechnology have also been vigorously pursued to strengthen the current conventional strategies. The present paper attempts to provide an overview of the present status of silk production in both mulberry and non-mulberry sectors, breakthroughs achieved through new approaches of biotechnology and the future prospects for maximizing silk productivity in India.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.20-25
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• 1978

Research on the hormones of insect has followed by the special opportunities and problems arising from pollution. Since then, the main frame of it has been energetically exploited by ligation, decapitation and so on. In the meanwhile, knowledge of the biochemistry of hormone action as well as other aspects of biochemistry in insects has been gradually disclosed. Since 1966, practical use of active analogs of the hormones has been also worked out as an insecticide and brought the features of it to the light. On the other hand, it is expected to afford the increase of silk productivity resulted from control of the fifth larval period by delaying normal development. With these regards, some of analogs have been tried to apply practically to the silkworm. One of them is "Manta" produced by Zoecon Chemical Company and it is presently used for the increase of silk productivity in Japan. Another one is "R-20458", not registered one, issued by Stuffer Chemical Company. It is still pending for the silkworm growth regulator For the possibility of practical use, two chemicals are tested on the increase of silk productivity by topical application and the obtained results are summarized as follows. 1. It is evident that the fifth larval period was extended by topical application of the tested chemicals "Manta"and "R-20458"at the fifth instar after 51 hours of the last ecdysis, ranging from 12 hours to one day, as compared to. the control 2. In survival rates, there is no significance at 5% level between control and treatments. It proved that there was no toxity to silkworm by topical aprication. 3. There is an increase of cocoon yield in both chemical treatments. It was resulted from increase of weight of single cocoon. "Manta"2.5ppm produced 22.2kg of cocoon. It is equal to 9% increase in index, as compared to that of control. In case of R-20458, the increasing rates were varied at the different concentration; 21.4kg of cocoon production with 5% increase at 5ppm, 20.9kg of it with 2% increase at 2.5ppm and 20.6kg of it with 1% increase at 1. 25ppm in index, respectively, as compared with that of control. 4. Percentage of cocoon shell was increased by topical application. In case of "Manta" 2.5ppm, it is 25.6% which is equal to 6% increase in index, as compared with that of control. For "R-20458", the increasing rates of percentage of cocoon shell were varied with the different level of chemical concentration. They are 25.0% of 4% increase at 2.5ppm, 24.9% of 3% increase at 1.25ppm and 24.7% of 3% increase at 5ppm. 15% increase was attained at "Manta" 2.5ppm in the weight of cocoon layer based on cocoon yield and percentage of cocoon shell in index, as compared with that of control. The rates for "R-20458"are 5% increase at 2.5ppm and 4% increase at 1. 25ppm in index.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2003

A new silkworm variety, Chugangjam, with a sex-limited larval marking and high silk yielding for summer-autumn rearing season is $F_1$ hybrid between Jam 147, a Japanese race bred from P8503/8453, and Jam 148, a Chinese race from M8306/Jam 130. Jam 147, Japanese parent of the Chugangjam showed a high GCA (general combining ability) in pupation percentage and Jam 148, Chinese parent, showed a high GCA in pupation percentage and single cocoon weight. In the local adaptability test performed at 8 local areas in autumn of 2001, Chugangjam was 5% higher in cocoon yield and 8% in raw silk productivity in the 10,000 of the 3rd molted larvae, respectively, than the check variety Daesungjam.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.155-164
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• 2009

The most important factors in environment that influence the physiology of insects are temperature and humidity. Insects display a remarkable range of adaptations to changing environments and maintain their internal temperature (thermoregulation) and water content within tolerable limits, despite wide fluctuations in their surroundings. Adaptation is a complex and dynamic state that widely differs in species. Surviving under changing environment in insects depends on dispersal, habitat selection, habitat modification, relationship with ice and water, resistance to cold, diapause and developmental rate, sensitivity to environmental signals and syntheses of variety of cryoprotectant molecules. The mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori) is very delicate and sensitive to environmental fluctuations and unable to survive naturally because of their domestication since ancient times. Thus, the adaptability to environmental conditions in the silkworm is quite different from those of wild insects. Temperature, humidity, air circulation, gases and photoperiod etc. shows a significant interaction in their effect on the physiology of silkworm depending upon the combination of factors and developmental stage affecting growth, development, productivity and quality of silk. An attempt has been made in this article to briefly discuss adaptation in insects with special emphasis on the role of environmental factors and their fluctuations and its significance in the physiology of mulberry silkworm, B. mori.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 2010

The bivoltine tropical tasar ecoraces of Antheraea mylitta Drury produces cocoons for seed production under seed crop rearing (July-August with $22{\sim}30^{\circ}C$ temperature and 50~70% relative humidity) and for silk production under commercial crop rearing (September-December with $17{\sim}27^{\circ}C$ temperature and 60~80% relative humidity). To consider the impact of hybrid vigour on egg, larva, cocoon and silk related commercial traits, the $F_1$ hybrids made among Daba, Jata and Raily ecoraces were assessed successively for three years. The hybrid vigour in the $F_1$ hybrid of Daba$\times$Jata ($T_7$) was positive for egg fertility (+23.1%), shell weight (+25.6%), silk yield (+79.0%) and filament length (+68.1%), with filament of high denier (11.98d) and reduced larval span (-7.1%). The Jata$\times$Daba ($T_8$) hybrid has shown negative heterosis in egg fertility (-8.0%) compared to the other F1 hybrids, Daba$\times$Raily ($T_9$) and Raily$\times$Daba ($T_{10}$), when they rise simultaneously during the commercial crop season. The better performance of parental ecoraces ($T_4$ to $T_6$) in their commercial traits during commercial crop over parents of seed crop ($T_1$ to $T_3$) and the superior performance of $F_1$ hybrids ($T_7$ to $T_{10}$) over parents of commercial crop ($T_4$ to $T_6$) during commercial crop season indicates the apparent hybrid vigour in tasar $F_1$ hybrids. As the Daba$\times$Jata ($T_7$) and Jata$\times$Daba ($T_8$) $F_1$ hybrids have shown highest hybrid vigour, their rearing during commercial crop can optimize the silk productivity and commercial sustenance of the tasar silk industry.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Sericultural Science Conference
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• 1997.06a
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• pp.1-21
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• 1997

Silk is praised "Queen of Fiber", which wrote a glorious page in the history of human adornment culture. Thanks to the development of science and technology, silk production has been increased dramatically during last half century. Nowadays, as "Healthy Fiber" silk lets all the globe to be forming the "Silk Boom" Like in other scientific fields, a great deal of progress has been made in sericultural science and technology, which also accelerated the development of multipurpose utilization of sercultural recourses. The main tendency of the sericulture development is raising the quality of cocoon, and at the same time, increasing the output per unit mulberry area and labor production efficiency. The chief measure of raising the cocoon quality is breeding and selecting the new mulberry and silkworm varieties, preventing and curing the diseases and pests and improving the environment of mounting, and the symble for increasing the labor productivity is carrying out the technological system of saving labor and operation ease, and enlarging the production scale. As a natural protein fiber, silk will be still a favorite with human in the next century, because its structure and properties can not be replaced by other any fiber. The 21st century is the biological time, and measures of developing sericulture will use the achievement on the field of molecular biology and biotechnology to carry out the molecular breeding, development regulating, silkworm rearing industrializing, exploiting the new silk and its new usage, utilizing the sericultural resources, and producing the special protein from silkworm as a host of expressing exogenous genes so that make the sericulture to contribute more what it can do for the human being.